Car-coupling



(No Mmm.)

L. MERRILL.

GAR GOUPLING.

No. 340235. Patented Apr. zo, 1886.

llrm* f nnumllllllllll" NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LUTHER MERRILL, OF ASTORIA, ILLINOIS.

CAR-COUPLING.

sPEcII-ICATION .fo-.ming part of Leners Patent No. 340,235, aatedAprn zo 188.

Application filed February 20, 1386. Serial No. 192,666. (No model.) d

To all whom, it may concern: l

Be it known that I, LUTHER MERRILL, of Astoria, in the county of Fulton and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in CarCouplers, of which the following isa specification.

My invention relates to car-couplers; and it consists in a novel construction of the same, as hereinafter fully set forth, whereby the coupling operation is performed automatically, and the uncoupling deprived of risk or danger.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of my improved coupler; Fig. 2, atop plan view of the same with a portion removed; Fig. 3, a vertical longitudinal section; Fig. 4, a similar view with the parts arranged ready for coupling; Fig. 5, a horizontal section on the line x .r of Fig. 3; Fig. 6, a detail View of the pin-raising devices.

'Ihe objects of the invention are to provide means for automatically coupling the cars, for uncoupling the cars without going between them, and, iinally, to make a cheap, simple, and durable device; and to this end I adopt the construction shown in the drawings.

A represents the head of the coupler, which may be secured to the car in any usual and well-known manner.

The head A is made of iron, and is provid; ed with a month and with a rearward extension, B, the head A and the extension or neck B being hollow from end to end, as shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5.

C indicates the coupling pin, preferably rectangular in cross-section, provided with a backwardly-extending head or arm, D, the pin C Working vertically through slots or open-l ings a in the head A, as clearly shown.

In order to raise the pin C when it is desired to insert the coupling-link, I employ a cranked crossshaft, E, (shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 6,) the shaft E being provided with a cranked portion, b, immediately beneath the backwardly-extending head D of the pin. The shaft E is journaled in lugs or uprights c, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, and has its ends extended outwardly on both sides of the coupling to form handles or cranks d, by which the shaft may be turned. By extending the handles out to near the sides of the car it is rendered unnecessary to go between the cars to raise the pin, and danger of injury to the train-hands is thus averted.

As the crank-shaft Eis turned or rotated, the crank or cranked portion d rises up against u the under face ofthe head D of the pin C, and raises the latter as high as may be necessary. as clearly indicated in Fig. 4. v

In order to give increased strength tothe coupler and help to sustain and guide the pin C, the walls e of the upper opening or slot a are extended upward, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4.

F represents a sliding block, which fits within. the head A, and is provided with a rearwardly/extending rod or stem, f, which is encircled by a spiral spring, g, as shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5, the rear end of the rod or stem f being supported and guided by the contracted end of the neck B.V The sliding block F is slotted or recessed on one of its side faces, as ath, Figs. 3, 4, and 5, thus forming shoulders or stops lz' j, and said block is limited in its movement by a bolt or pin, G, passing vertically through Lthe head A and the slot or .recess h.

From this construction it will be seen that the spring g, being under compression, will tend to urge the sliding block F forward.

The device, being thus constructed, operates as follows: Fig. 4 shows the coupling pin raised and the coupler ready for the reception of the link of the other ear, the pin resting on the end 4of the sliding block F. Now, as the link of the other car strikes against the front end of the block F, it shoves or moves the latter inward, compressing its spring g, and as there is then no support for the pin C the latter falls vertically through the link into the lower opening a. The sliding block F is prevented from being shoved in too far by the shoulder t', which, coming in contact with the bolt G, prevents any further movement in that direction.

.In coupling it is only necessary to turn the crank-shaft E, thus raising the link, as before described, whereupon the spring g will move the sliding block F forward under the end of ofthe pin, and shove the link out, if the other car be drawn away sufficiently. The outward roo movement of the sliding block is limited by cranked cross-shaft E, arranged and operating the shoulder j coming into contact with the substantially as described, to raise the pin.

pin G.

In order to protect the mechanism from snow, dirt, &c., I provide a cap or cover, H, which fits over the top of the pin G and the crank-shaft E, as shown in Figs. l and Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. Tn a car-coupler, the combination, with head A, of pin C, having extension D, and working'vertically through the head, and

2. In combination with head A, pin C, 15 cranked shaft E, sliding block F, provided with stud f, spring g, and shoulders i j, and bolt G, all arranged and operating substantially as described.

LUTHER MERRILL.

Witnesses:

Trios. FACKLER, .Asa MOON. 

